Németh and Schmidt on Private Management of Public Space

"[R]eliance on the private sector to supply publicly accessible spaces often results in the creation of vibrant but frenetic and highly programmed 'festival' spaces in which designers employ an array of techniques, tools, and activities to manipulate and program the use of such spaces. ... They often fail to serve some of the other important goals we ask public spaces to fulfill, such as respite from the hustle and bustle of life in a dense, urban environment. This increased emphasis on programming threatens the ability to create and maintain simple spaces that serve as welcoming, inclusive retreats."